Welcome to the ball season

Each year more than 450 balls take place in Vienna. The city of waltzes exuberantly celebrates Carnival in January and February. The three-quarter rhythm is supplemented by more contemporary sounds, offering enjoyable dancing for every taste.

The best time of the year begins for ball-goers and dance fans on 11 November. The Vienna ball season starts punctually at the beginning of Carnival with public dancing of the waltz in the city center. In Vienna, the ball seasonreaches its peak in January and February. The old tradition of carnival balls continues to thrive in the city. While some dancers enjoy following the three-quarter time of the waltzes, others may prefer letting loose to a disco beat.

The ball season kicks off with the Vienna Red Cross Ball at City Hall (30 November 2018). On New Year’s Eve, guests dance into the new year in a magnificent setting at the New Year’s Eve Ball at the Hofburg Vienna (Imperial Palace).

Numerous other famous ball events are held here as well, such as the Hunters' Ball - Jägerball (28 January 2019), the Doctors' Ball (26 January 2019) and the Lawyers' Ball (2 March 2019). The Coffee-house Owners' Ball (22 February 2019) is one of the most atmospheric. Each year it brings about 6,000 visitors to Vienna's Imperial Palace and into the Redoutensäle.

The Opera Ball (28 February 2019) at the Vienna State Opera is legendary. On this one day, visitors have the unique opportunity to see the famous opera house on Ringstrasse not only from the spectators' seats but actually experience it "backstage" surrounded by many music celebrities.

The Vienna Philarmonic (24 January 2019) opens the doors to its ball at the Vienna Musikverein. However, at this event the musicians of this world-famous orchestra can only be found with their instruments during the introduction. Because even the performers of the Vienna Philarmonic want to shake a leg now and then.

The sweetest ball is the Bonbon Ball (1 March 2019) at the Wiener Konzerthaus. This ball is known for its fun and informal ambiance. The Strauss Brothers once celebrated their greatest accomplishments at the Vienna Kursalon - where visitors can now dance to the tune of waltzes at the Johann Strauss Ball (16 February 2019).

For the Flower Ball (18 January 2019), City Hall transforms into a unique sea of flowers. Also being held in City Hall is the Viennese Ball of the Sciences (26 January 2019), which represents Vienna’s entire research and higher education landscape in all its diversity, internationality and excellence.

This year’s Ball of the Vienna Boys' Choir (March 29 2019) will be held outside the traditional ball season in Palais Coburg. The spring ball is opened by the Boys' Choir and is thematically dedicated to a different country each year. This time, the focus is on Japan